“A Russian scientist made a breakthrough”: this is how many global media outlets have described the new quantum key protection technology for bank cards developed by Viktor Petrik. The scientist seemingly proposed a brilliant solution for the problem of data leakage. According to Petrik, the magnetic strip and the electronic chips are the weakest link in the bank card security chain. That’s why he thinks it’s necessary to get rid of these information carriers.

“We created a fundamentally new, absolutely safe kind of bank card,” says Viktor Petrik, squeezing a small piece of white plastic in his hands. “In this object there are no magnetic strips or microchips and this card is absolutely fraud-proof.” According to Petrik, the card cannot be hacked into or compromised “using easily accessible electronic means.” However, some Russian scientists have expressed their doubts about the validity and resourcefulness of Petrik’s invention.